Here we are again in a new term! Last term, we had the Lewis Mod, which went well and the children performed in various competitions, including the playlet, which went well and was exceedingly funny! Sarah won her Literary competition, so well done to her!

We are back after to Easter holidays, starting the “summer” term; although right now we have “Sneachd na h-uain bheaga” which is typical for us here. The April showers in Lewis seem to be more often or not, “the snow of the wee lambs”!

Firstly, as it is term 4, we have started swimming again on Thursday afternoons. This means travelling to Stornoway by mini bus and then back again, just in time to go home on the school buses. Because of this, we have both an early break time in the morning and an early lunch to enable us to leave the school at 1 o’ clock. Despite these minor disruptions to the school day, the children seem to be enjoying their lessons, and there are one or two sleepy children on the way home!

Secondly, even though we are just back to school, we have the May holiday weekend coming up, so we will be off on Friday 29th April AND Monday 2nd May. We hope you enjoy the long weekend, and that the weather warms up for May, which has been until recently, always thought of as one of the loveliest months in the Western Isles, but remember the old Scotttish saying “ne’er cast a clout, ’til May is oot”. In other words, don’t take your coat off until after May! Incidentally, as a bit of long forgotten folklore, it is thought the “May” in the said saying isn’t the actual month, but refers to the shrub hawthorn, which is also known as “May Thorn” and when it flowers!

Lately, there has been a sighting of pirates in Bernera School! It was Pirates Day in Bernera School recently, all the children (as well as Vicky and Meg!) dressed as pirates and had a special “Pirates Lunch” and wrote poems or drew pictures.

Primary and Secondary School Menus offer healthy and tasty meal options which reflect the Scottish Government food and drink legal requirements for school lunches.

School meals are cooked on the premisesby our School Cook Mrs Vicky Mayers. Choices offer a varied and attractive dinner each day. A “fruit only” dessert is offered twice a week to all pupils. Under the “Fruit In Schools” initiative, jointly funded by the Western Isles Health Board and the Education and Children’s Services Department, all children in Primary 1-2 receive a piece of fruit three times a week. This is offered at the morning interval.

In agreement with the parent body, all pupils receive, milk every day and fruit, and toast at alternate morning intervals. Where initiatives are not in place to fund these snacks, parents pay for the snacks on a weekly basis. In this way parents support us in our endeavours to promote healthy living across the school.

The School Cook issues weekly menu’s to pupils who are encouraged to take these home and make their choices before returning them to school. This practice helps the Cook to reduce waste with pupils being able to “pre-order” their school meals on a weekly basis.

The school operates a system of money pockets which go out to pupils each week. Parents are asked to place dinner money for the week in the envelope on a Monday and any change owed to them will be returned in the same way.

Pupils who wish to take packed lunches to school may eat them in the canteen with the other children. However, the following points ought to be carefully noted;

¨ Pupils eating Packed Lunches should generally eat their lunch in a separate area from those eating School Lunches, However, since in Bernera School, we are at a premium for suitable space we do allow the children to sit and eat together on the provision that parents and pupils recognise why distinctions are sometimes made between those eating School Lunches and those eating Packed Lunches.

¨ Canteen staff have no responsibility in any way to assist pupils with the making up of their lunch items. Parents should therefore ensure that pupils Packed Lunches are ready to eat and that any necessary cutlery/tableware is included with the Packed Lunch.

Parents should let the School know in advance if their child has any special dietary requirements.

School pupils are not allowed to leave the premises at lunchtime unless they are going home for lunch.

Children of parents in receipt of Income Support are entitled to a free midday meal. Further information and application forms can be obtained from the School, or from: